Mower attachment



May28,194o; BYRNE, JR 2,202,443

MOWER ATTACHMENT Filed March so, 1939 2 sheets-shea 2 J9 InventorvPatented May Z8, 1940 f Appiiatia March 3o, 1939, serial No. l265.031 1claim. (or. 564238) '.,improvements in mower attachments and, lmore.'particularly'to an auxiliary cutter for cutting .t n v l line 8-8 ofFigure 1.1

Referring tothe-drawings, *wherein .like nu- L .fmeralsdesignatelikeparts, it can ybe seen that CII oif.' of the Vusual"cutter reel `drivewheels without ythe medium or agency of any' tensioning means n 6. andhas theconnectingstraps"I' to thezmower, frame.; ,The inowerjasshown inFigure 1 is' l or other pressure applyingmedia. l

. Anotherfobject is tofprovide anauxiliary cutter for mowers whichcan beimmediately rei "moved from thernower,` in instances wherefo-b-Anotherobject-isteprovide an apparatuslof W the charactervst'ated which:will be` of simple construction, 4and low -cost to .manuiacturaparv Il-'II of angle` construction with their adjacent ticularly yin-vievv ofthefact :that the parts involved are in mostinstances standardhardwarewhich can be bought at presenten theppen is to provide an auxiliarycutter for mowers which can be readily adjusted Aand adapted for varioussized mowers. f

These and other objects and advantagesof the invention will becomeapparent to the reader of the following specication;

In the drawings- Figure 1 represents a top plan View of the applianceapplied to a conventional mower;

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially on a line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the rollers.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of one ofthe thin blades. v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through theauxiliary cutter shaft assembly. l

Figure 6 isa perspective view of the roller" '55 bushing. I l

' The principal object v-ol the present-invention is.to provide'anauxiliarycutterfor imowerssuch Aas .lawn mowers, A whichcanbe appliedand driven' l Vstaclesrnay be encountered, thus dispensingwith VStillanother important object of the invention {oyfpone ofY the`auxiliarycutter shaft` sections.

vligure 3. is fan enlarged sectional view on the `:numerals 5755.represent the usual drive'wheels of a` conventionalrnower, such asa lawnmower.

lThe usual handle bar is denoted by the numeral illustratedingskeleton-form, the cutter -reel not being shown. llowever,the usualytie rod 8J is `disclosed-` as this1A is yemployed as ,a hanger sup-Vport forfthe Aauxiliary cutting. means generallyreferredtoby'numerals.:

lThev auxiliary cutterconsists ofia ufshaped nframe' made up ofthe two.L -shaped sections ends disposed in interlapping relation. as shown Ain '.Eigurel and their opposite ends providing ,Thisinvention appertainsto new and useful ,lfligurez'lis afragmentaryside elevational View sidearms I I,griaclampj.is disposed around l the interlapping end portionsto secure the same in definitely adjusted position,v this of coursedepending upon the spaced" relation of the drive wheels 5--5.

lThe hanger means for the' frame II-II con- `sists of a pair of hangerunits generally referred toby numeral I3. K y

Each'of these hanger units consists of a projection I5 which projectlaterally from the 'corresponding frame section II..

A` hook-shaped hanger element 20 has'the` on the inner portion I6 of theprojectionl I5 andv the coiled compression spring 23a serves to norwhichreceives themally urge the same in the direction o-f ther hanger element20. Obviously, when the entire auxiliary cutterl 9 is to be removed, allthat is required is to pull backwardly slightly on the plate 22 androtate the same so ,that its lower end is removed from the lower portion-of the corresponding hanger element 20, thus permitting the entireassembly 9 to be lifted off of the tie rod 8.

The shaft assembly of the auxiliary cutter consists of the tube 23 intothe end portions of which are disposed the shaft sections 2li-m24.V Theends of the tube 23 are externally Athreaded to accommodate the collars25 and'when these collars are properly placed on the ends of the tube23, the

collars and end portions of the'tube 23 are tapped to accommodate setscrews 26 which are driven against the corresponding shaft sections 24.

The end portions of the shaft sections 24 are journalled throughbearings 21 in the reduced end portions of the frame members H-ll andextend into the bushing 28 of the roller assembly generally referred toby numeral 29. Each of these roller assemblies consist of a shell 30closed at its outer end as at 3|, except for a small oil opening, andprovided with the circumscribing roller annulus 32 of rubber or someother similar material. The roller end of each shaft section 24 extendsthrough a bushing 28, the latter having a reduced extension disposedinto the corresponding shell 30 and on which the shell is preferablyshrunk. As shown ink Figure '7, the shaft section 24 has a -cross pin 34which rides in and out of the cam out outer end of the correspondingbushing 28. This cam end consists of low points 35 terminating adjacenthigh points 36 to dene shoulders 31. A compression spring 38 isinterposed between the closed end 3l of the shell 30 and the shaft 24,to maintain the parts in proper relation.

Obviously, when the mower is moved rearwardly, the auxiliary cutter willnot operate, but when it is moved forwardly the cross pins 34 will drivethe auxiliary cutter, due to the engagement of the same with theshoulders 31 of the bushing 28. Furthermore, one drive Wheel can operateand the other remain substantially stationary, as when the mower isbeing rotated, and still the auxiliary cutter will be operated.

It can beV seen that the auxiliary cutter consists further of a pair ofthin cutter blades 39, which are flexed into a substantially spiral formand have their ends secured to the lugs 40 on the corresponding ends ofthe cross arms 4I which are carried by the shaft sections 24. Theintermediate portions of these cross arms 4| are provided with U-frames42 for attaching the cross arms 4I to the shaft sections 24.

Obviously, by loosening the set screws 26, the blades 39, which are ofthin yieldable material, can have their ends rotated in oppositedirections to increase or decrease the spiraliform in length inaccordance with the space to be spanned.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having describedthe invention, what is claimed as newvis- A cutter reelassembly for attachment to a lawn mower having ground wheels and atransverse frame bar, said assembly comprising a reelcarrying frameincluding side arms, clamps on said frame for attaching the same to saidbar, a cutter reel comprising a pair of flexible cutter bars opposed inspiralling relation, and means to mount said bars in said frame forflexing to vary the pitch thereof comprising a pair of stub shaftsendwise slidable and rotatable in said arms, respectively,independently, a pair of cross arms fast on said shafts, respectively,and having the ends of said cutter bars fixed thereto whereby underendwise sliding and rotary adjustment of said shafts in oppositedirections into different set positions, said blades may be twisted tovary the pitch thereof, means to lock said shafts together for unitaryrotation to revolve said blades and against movement from set positioncomprising a tubular sleeve extending between said shafts and in whichthe latter are slidable and rotatable independently of each other and ofsaid sleeve, said sleeve being provided with set screws therein forclampingly engaging said shafts, and means to impart rotation to saidshafts comprising a pair of rollers thereon adapted to frictionallyengage said wheels, respectively.

JAMES P. BYRNE, JR.

